The Kinematics of the Local Group

TYPE

Astrophysics Seminar

Speaker:

Ziv Mikulizky

Affiliation:

Physics, Technion

Date:

18.03.2015

Time:

14:30

Location:

Lidow 620

Remark:

PhD talk

Abstract:

The modern measurements of extra-galactic distances and radial velocities of galaxies, allow us to study the kinematics of nearby structures and galaxies with great precision. This study can improve our understanding of e.g. large-scale formation, the distribution of dark matter on small scales, and the nearby Hubble flow (the flow pattern of nearby galaxies). The nearest structures that we can probe with great accuracy are the Local Group of galaxies (a gravitationally bound dynamical system, which includes our own galaxy with its satellites, the Andromeda galaxy and its satellites and several other non-satellite galaxies), and the nearby galaxies (up to a radius of 5 Mpc). In our study we use have assembled a database of nearby galaxies which we use to identify the Local Group non-satellite members, study the the flow pattern of galaxies in the Local Group rest frame, test flow models, and study the local Hubble flow not just as a constant but also as a tensor (different expansion rate at different directions).